The Old School Adventure Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children arrive at the club full of enthusiasm. They are confident and happy to see friends and members of staff. They make independent decisions about their play, choosing from a selection of activities.

Children enjoy playing outside and eagerly run up and down the playground, playfully chasing each other. They play safely as they throw and kick balls and scream with delight as they score a goal. They balance hoops and roll them to each other carefully.

These activities help to develop children's physical skills and to understand about how being active contributes to a healthy lifestyles. Children have a positive attitud...e to their play. They join in with the challenging and motivating play opportunities that staff carefully plan for them.

For example, children thoroughly enjoy making pretend magic potions. They use good hand-to-eye coordination and squeeze pipettes to fill containers and test tubes with the potions they make. Staff extend this play and encourage children to use words, such as 'abracadabra'.

This prompts children to use their imagination as they pretend to make magic.Children say they enjoy their time at the club and like doing the art and craft activities the staff provide. They chat among themselves as they paint pictures using sponges.

They design their own shapes, for example a moon and talk about going into space.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

The manager is reflective and aims to provide a welcoming environment, which supports all children. She wants the children to enjoy their time at the club and is keen to gather their views.

Staff know the children and their individual personalities well, including their likes and dislikes. This helps staff plan activities that they know will engage and interest children in their play experiences.Staff support children to communicate and explore new vocabulary.

Children share their ideas and thoughts with staff. For example, children happily talk about pretending to make tomato soup and sauce. They talk about the recipe and what they are putting in their soup.

Staff establish positive relationships with parents. They inform parents about what their children are doing through apps and conversations. Staff share what children have enjoyed doing at the end of each day.

They pass on any information from teachers about children's time at school. Parents speak highly of the staff and say their children are happy to come and enjoy the activities the staff provide.Staff support children to develop their self-care skills and growing independence.

For example, children know to wash hands before eating and serve themselves their tea of pasta and vegetables. They clear away their plates and cutlery as they finish, and put their coats on to go outside.Children are polite and courteous towards others.

They use please and thank you as they interact with staff and their friends. Staff are good role models. They speak gently to children and treat them with respect.

Children share and take turns as they play games, and work cooperatively to put a train track together.Staff support children to develop a high level of understanding and respect for other peoples' similarities and differences outside of their own communities. This includes others' race and cultures.

For instance, children learn about different religious beliefs and celebrations, such as Chinese New Year.Staff work together well as a team. The director of nursery operations provides support for staff, including for their well-being through, for example, supervisions and appraisals, when they also identify areas for development.

Staff receive additional training to improve their knowledge and skills. For instance, staff have recently attended training on forest schools. This had a positive effect and the children now enjoy activities, such as making bug hotels, a wormery, bird feeders and dens.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities in relation to keeping children safe. They know what to do and the agencies to inform if they have any concerns about a child's safety or welfare, including concerns linked to the 'Prevent' duty.

The directors implement robust recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. If staff have worries about the conduct of a colleague, including the manager, they know the steps to follow to report their concerns. The space in which children play is clean and secure, and resources are well maintained.

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